The role of innate lymphoid cells in tumor immunity of pancreatic cancer

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K19066
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Human pathology
• Research Institution: National Cancer Center Japan
• Principal Investigator: Yoshida Hiroshi 国立研究開発法人国立がん研究センター, 中央病院, 医員 (70750751)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): Nobuyoshi Hiraoka 国立がん研究センター中央病院, 病理科・研究所分子病理分野 (40276217)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: pancreatic cancer / Innate lymphoid cells

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCｓ) have been recognized as new subgroups of lymphoid cells showing various functions like as helper or cytotoxic T cells. However, the role of ILCs in tumor-immunity remains to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to understand the role of ILCs in development of tumor microenvironment of pancreatic cancer. The number and distributions of ILCs containing NK cells, ILC1, ILC2 and ILC3 in the pancreatic cancer tissue were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining.
All ILC subtypes showed similar distribution as T-cell, however, the number of ILCs were less than those of T-cell. The group of higher NK cells, ILC1 or ILC3 infiltration demonstrated longer the overall survival and progression free survival than those of the group of lower inflitration. Inversely, higher ILC2 group showed poor prognosis compared to lower ILC2 group. Based on these findings, ILCs may play similar roles of corresponding T-cells in immune-microenvironment of pancreatic cancer.

Free Research Field

pathology